Carding-Flat Bar for a Card

ABSTRACT

A carding-flat bar for a card includes a base body and is provided with a card clothing and at least one fixing device for the card clothing. The fixing device for the card clothing is formed by a clamping rail, which can be released in a non-destructive manner.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2008 025 359.6, filed May 20, 2008, the entire disclosure of which is herein expressly incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a carding-flat bar for a card including a base body, a card clothing and at least one fixing device for the card clothing.

For decades a metal strip has been applied for fixing the card clothing to a carding-flat bar for a card, which metal strip is formed plastically in order to mount the card clothing to the carding-flat bar. Plastically formed metal strips in the form of fixing devices for the card clothing are shown, for example, in the figures of the German patent application DE 21 27 228 A1.

In order to change a worn card clothing, the metal strip has to be destroyed. New metal strips are required for mounting a new card clothing. Special service machines are necessary for bending the metal strip and for fixing the card clothing.

There is therefore needed a carding-flat bar for a card for which a change of card clothing is possible with less outlay.

According to the present invention, this and other needs are met by a carding-flat bar for a card including a base body, a card clothing, and at least one fixing device for the card clothing, wherein the fixing device is formed by a clamping rail. The clamping rail is advantageously releasable in a non-destructive way.

By applying an easily releasable clamping rail, the card clothing on the carding-flat bar can be changed without the use of special service machines. In addition, the clamping rail for fixing the new card clothing can be re-used.

Means for generating a clamping force are advantageously arranged to the clamping rail. The means for generating a clamping force are advantageously formed by at least one screw or by at least one lever. The means for generating the clamping force can hereby be applied either to the clamping rail itself or to the base body of the carding-flat bar. The means for generating the clamping force can also be designed as a separate component, which acts together with the base body and the clamping rail.

In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, an additional fixing device in the form of an adhesive strip can be provided in addition to the clamping rail.

The present invention relates further to a clamping rail for fixing a card clothing to a carding-flat bar of a card, having a clamping surface for the card clothing, whereby the clamping rail includes a clamp for generating a clamping force.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of a carding-flat bar for a card according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged depiction of a carding-flat bar of FIG. 1 in the area of the clamping rail;

FIG. 3 show a view similar to FIG. 2 of a further embodiment of a clamping rail; and

FIG. 4 shows a variation of the carding-flat bar according to FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The carding-flat bar 1 for a card shown in FIG. 1 consists essentially of a base body 2 and a card clothing 3 affixed thereto. The card clothing 3 consists of a number of small hooks 4, which are inserted into a base 5 of joined together woven layers. The carding-flat bar 1 is designed for use in a card and is then arranged (in a manner not shown) to the outer circumference of a rotating cylinder. Between a card clothing arranged to the outer circumference of the card cylinder and the card clothing 3 of the carding-flat bar 1, a fiber material is cleaned and the individual fibers are disentangled. The functions and assembly of the carding-flat bar 1 in a card are known and also disclosed in greater detail in the above mention German published patent application DE 21 27 228 A1.

The carding-flat bar 1 extends perpendicular to the drawing plane of FIG. 1 and can have a length of, for example, 1 to 1.5 m, in order to extend over the entire working width of a card cylinder. The card clothing 3 extends perpendicular to the drawing plane along the entire length of the carding-flat bar 1. Fixing devices 6 are provided for fixing the card clothing 3 to the base body 2.

In accordance with the present invention, the fixing device 6 is formed by two clamping rails 7 arranged along the longitudinal sides of the carding-flat bar 1. The clamping rails 7 are easily releasable in a non-destructive manner, so that a change of the card clothing 3 is possible without any great outlay and without the use of special service machines. Devices 8 for generating a clamping force are assigned to the clamping rails 7. The devices 8 for generating the clamping force between the clamping rails 7 and the base body 2 can be designed in different ways. Several examples of various mechanisms 8 for generating the clamping force are described below with the aid of FIGS. 2 to 4.

In the enlarged depiction in FIG. 2, a variation of an advantageous clamping rail 7 and the device 8 for generating the clamping force arranged thereto can be seen. The device 8 for generating the clamping force is formed by a number of screws 9, which can, for example, be designed as threaded pins. The placement of around twelve screws 9 over an entire length of the clamping rail 7 of approximately 1.5 m is advantageous. The clamping rail 7 consists advantageously of a metal extruded profile and includes a clamping surface 10 for the card clothing 3. The clamping surface 10 advantageously has a structure or a fluting in order to ensure a reliable clamping of the base 5 of the card clothing 3.

A suitable take-up surface 11 is advantageously provided on the base body 2 for contact with the device 8 for generating the clamping force. In order to change the card clothing 3, the screws need only be released, and the clamping rail 7 can then be laterally removed. The worn card clothing 3 can be removed from the base body 2 and be replaced by a new card clothing 3. The clamping rails 7 are subsequently put back in place and the device 8 for generating the clamping force is activated in that the screws 9 are tightened.

Depending on the type of application, it can be advantageous to provide, between the two clamping rails 7, an additional fixing device 6 in the form of an adhesive strip 12 between the base body 2 and the base 5 of the card clothing 3. By doing so, the planar support of the card clothing 3 on the carding-flat bar 1 can be improved. The simple exchangeability of the card clothing 3 is not impaired as a result.

In FIG. 3, a variation of a clamping rail 7 for fixing the card clothing 3 to a carding-flat bar 1 of a card is shown, in which the device 8 for generating a clamping force is formed by a lever 13. Along the entire length of the clamping rail 7 extending perpendicularly to the drawing plane, a number of levers 13 are arranged at defined distances to one another. The lever 13 is fixed pivot-mounted to the clamping rail via a center of rotation 14. The end 15 of the lever 13 facing away from the center of rotation 14 is supported on a take-up surface 11 of the base body 2. At the end of the lever 13, for example, a convex surface can be provided or a ball can be inserted.

Alternatively it can of course be provided that the centre of rotation 14 and the take-up surface 11 are exchanged, so that the lever 13 is fixed with the center of rotation 14 to the base body 2, and the take-up surface 11 is located on the clamping rail 7.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the cross-section of the clamping rail 7 is essentially C-shaped in form. The arrangement of the clamping surface 10, the center of rotation 14 and the take-up surface 11 is so chosen that in the state shown, prestress of the C-shaped profile of the clamping rail 7 results, and the clamping surface 10 pulls the card clothing 3 against the base body 2 with a clamping force. The position of the take-up surface 11 is hereby so chosen that its center lies within the C-shaped profile of the clamping rail 7 in relation to an imaginary connecting line between the center of rotation 14 and the center of the nipping surface 10. In combination with a relevant choice of length of the lever 13, a snap effect is achieved, which holds the clamping rail 7 securely to the base body while also ensuring a sustained clamping force.

In order to release the clamping rail 7 it need only be swivelled aside in arrow direction A from the base body 2. To generate the swivel movement A it can, for example, be provided that the lever 13 has an extension 16, which extends beyond the center of rotation 14 and is denoted by a broken line. It can also be provided that the swivel movement A can be set in motion by use of an engaging auxiliary tool that acts in a spacing 17.

When the card clothing 3 is replaced, the clamping rail 7 is put in place, swivelled in the opposite direction to arrow direction A and clicked into place.

A variation of the embodiment according to FIG. 3 is shown in FIG. 4. Identical references numbers denote identical parts, so that a repeat description is omitted. In a modification to FIG. 3, a lever 18 is provided which is designed as a separate component and which extends in the form of a profile in the longitudinal direction of the carding-flat bar 1. The center of rotation at the clamping rail 7 is formed by a take-up surface 19. The center of the take-up surface 19, the center of the take-up surface 11 and the center of the clamping surface 10 are arranged in relation to each other analogously to FIG. 3, so that the same self-holding snap effect for generating the clamping force occurs.

The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof. 

1. A carding-flat bar for a card, comprising: a base body; a card clothing; and at least one clamping rail operatively configured to fix the card clothing to the base body.
 2. The carding-flat bar according to claim 1, wherein the clamping rail is releasably attached to the base body in a non-destructive manner.
 3. The carding-flat bar according to claim 1, wherein means for generating a clamping force are assigned to the clamping rail.
 4. The carding-flat bar according to claim 3, wherein the means for generating a clamping force are formed by at least one screw.
 5. The carding-flat bar according to claim 3, wherein the means for generating a clamping force are formed by at least one lever.
 6. The carding-flat bar according to claim 1, further comprising an adhesive strip operatively configured to adhere the card clothing to the base body.
 7. The carding-flat bar according to claim 3, further comprising an adhesive strip operatively configured to adhere the card clothing to the base body.
 8. The carding-flat bar according to claim 2, wherein means for generating a clamping force are assigned to the clamping rail.
 9. The carding-flat bar according to claim 1, further comprising at least one screw interacting with the base body to generate a clamping force of the clamping rail to clamp the card clothing against the base body.
 10. The carding-flat bar according to claim 1, further comprising at least one lever interacting with the base body to generate a clamping force of the clamping rail to clamp the card clothing against the base body.
 11. A rail system for fixing a card clothing to a carding-flat bar of a card, comprising: a clamping rail having a clamping surface for the card clothing; and means for generating a clamping force by the clamping rail to fix the card clothing against a base body of the carding-flat bar.
 12. The clamping rail according to claim 11, wherein the generating means comprise one or more screws operatively configured to interact with the base body and the rail.
 13. The rail system according to claim 11, wherein the generating means comprise one or more levers operatively configured to interact with the base body and the rail. 